Deep well apparatus



Aug. 26, 1941. R. B. GAUNT DEEP WELL APPARATUS Filed Nov. 7, 1938 2 Shee'ts-Sheet 1 Ray B. Gaan f ,1f-@Zw Illllllil r .IAA Illrlllllll r lllilllll lllllll A lill!! llll d vAr llllll IfIII (lttorneg Aug. 26, 1941. R. B. GAuN'r DEEP WELL APPARATUS Filed Nov. 7, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Snvmtor l" Patented ng. 26, 1941 14 claims.

My invention relates to deep well apparatus and one object is to provide new and useful means of this character whereby a'pump may be supported in operative position 'in a well in such manner A that it may be lifted to the surface for cleaning or repairing without disturbing the supporting apparatus.

Another object is to provide means adapted to seal off the casing exteriorly of said supporting means and also exteriorly of the pump, so that the separate means usually employed to prevent gas from escaping to the surface between the casing and the pump may be dispensed with.

Other objects will hereinafter appear and in order that the invention may be fully understood, reference will now be had to the accompanying drawings, in which: 1 y

Fig. 1 is a broken longitudinal sectionL of a plsu-iwan STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,253,776 1 l 4'DEEP WELL APPARATUS Y 1 Ray B. Gaunt, Kansas City, Mo.

Application November 7, 1938, Serial No. 239,237

(ci. s-219)' tapered intermediate portion 1 of barrel 2. Each slip-segment 3 is fixed to the upper end of -a respective resilient arm B. fixed at its lower end to a 'rling 9 loosely encircling the barrel 2.

Ring 9 rests upon the upper end of a sleeve I0 freely mounted upon the lower portion of barrel -2 to which it is connected by diametrically opposed studs I I projecting from the barrel and 'extending through inverted L-slots I2 in the sleeve I0. The upper end of sleeve I II is freely connected to the lower part of ring 9 with lugs casing with my apparatus positioned therein for supporting the pump, sealing of! the casing exteriorly of the apparatus and also exteriorly of the pump.

Fig. 2 is a similar view to Fig. 1 with the pump removed.

Fig. 3 shows the position of the different parts of my apparatus when being lowered into the well casing, the lowering means being omitted. l

Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of a slotted tubular member upon which a series of `expansible packer elements and expanding means therefor are assembled.

Rig. 5 is a detail perspective view of one of the expansible packer elements.

Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of one of the wedges or expanders.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged perspective view of a barrel in which the slotted tubular member, shown by Fig. 4, is slidably mounted.

Fig. 8 is a detail perspective of a plurality of slips which assist in supporting the apparatus in the casing. *w

Fig. 9 is a detail perspective of a sleeve with a plurality of bow springs mounted thereon.

Fig. 10 is a broken side view partly in section of the pump.

Referring in` detail to the different parts, 2 designates a barrel upon which a large number of other elements of the apparatus are'assembled to coact therewith in supporting a pump in the well casing A. a

When the apparatus islowered into the well to the desired depth it is initially supported dwith a plurality of segmental slips 3, having serrated faces l for engagement with thevwell casing A when the slips 3 are forced outward by the I3 nxed to thesleeve and bent at their upper ends to enter a circumferential groove M in the ring. The sleeve III is provided with a plurality of equally spaced vertically disposed bow springs I5 secured at their lower ends to the sleeve and having their upper ends freely extending into grooves lia in the upper portion of the sleeve, so that when the apparatus is being lowered into or lifted from the well said springs may expand or contractand thus accommodate themselves tofany irregularities which may be present in the inner surface of the casing A. .j The lower end of barrel 2 is provided with a collar I6 having a downward flaring mouth I'I to prevent couplings or other projections on pump I8 from catching on said collar or the lower end of barrel 2 while the pump is being pulled to the surface. 'I'he lower edge of mouth I1 is relatively sharp to cut of! cement deposits or other obstructions on the inner surface of casing A, so they will not interfere with the downward movement of the apparatus while being lowered in the well.

Refen'ing now more particularly to the principal supporting means of the apparatus when positioned in the well, I9 designates a tubular member, the lower part of which is slidably mounted' within the upper portion of barrel 2. The protruding portion of the tubular member I9 is equipped with annular expansible packers 20, 2| and 22, and annular wedge members or expanders 23, 24 and 25, respectively, which latter are adapted to expand the former into frictional engagement with the well casing A to cooperate with slips 3 in supporting the apparatus, the pump I 8 and a column of oil when pumped upward in the casing. Expansion of the packers alsorseals on' the casing A so that gas cannot flow upward nor the pumped oil downward between the tubular member I9 and the casing.

The packers 20, 2| and 22 are in the form of thin bands consisting preferably of an alloy forming a relatively soft metal that may be expanded by the respective expanders. Each packer comprises a cylindrical upper portion 23 and a ing the apparatus to the surface preparatory to transferring it to another well, so I have arranged to loosen the packers in succession by lifting the expanders one by one beginning with the upper expander 23.

To accomplish the foregoing result the tubular member I9 is provided with an upper pair of slots 34, an intermediate pair of slots 33, and a lower pair of slots 3l, while the expander 24 has a pair of studs 40 projecting into the slots 34, the expander a pair of studs 42 projecting into the slots 36, and the upper portion of barrel 2 a pair of studs 44 projecting into the slots 33.

The slots of each pair are diametrically opposed and extend longitudinally of the tubular member i9, and as the ends of the intermediate slots 33 extend slightly beyond the adjacent ends of the companion slots the latter are arranged out of longitudinal alinement with the former, as shown by Fig. 4. The upper slots are relatively short, the intermediate slots 33 are longer, and the lower slots 38 are the longest. Hence when a hoist, not shown, is attached to the upper end of the tubular member I9 and operated to lift my appltus from the well after removal of the pump vsaid tubular member will move upward and nrst raise the upper expander 23 from the packer 2l, after which the expanders 24 and 25 wiilbesuccessively raised from the packers 2| and 22 through the intermediary of their respective studs 40, 42 and the lower ends of slots 34 and 38. Continued upward movement of the tubular member I9 carries the lower ends of slots 38 into engagement with the studs 44 and thus lifts the barrel 2. After the packers 2'0, 2| and 22 have been thus relieved of the weight of the rest of the apparatus they are readily moved upward with the expanders and the barrel. By successively disengaging the packers 20, 2| and 22 from the casing A and before starting barrel 2 upward, it is apparent that 2 asume tapered lowerportion". The taperedlower lesspowerandaiighterhoistmaybeusedtopull portionofpackers2land2lrestincorrespondtheapparatusitothemrfacetbanifallthe inglyshapedseatsintheupperendsoitheexpackerswerereleasedfromthewellcasingatthe panders 24 and 2l, respectively. and the tapered same time. portioncfpaclserisadaptedtorestina Inpracticewhentheapparatusistobelowtaperedseatllintheupperendofthebarran. eredinaweilthesleevellandslipsl'aremond asshownbyrigaiandz Thelowerportisns downwardonbarreHuntilthasleeverestsupon v2lofthee1xpaniersaretaperedtoextendinto collarllandtheslipsarepoeitionedatthelower. and expand the cylindrical portions of the repartofthetaperedporticn'lofthebarrel. Sleeve speetive packers 2l, 2| and 22 whenthe expandl Il is then securedin lowered position by turnersareforceddownwardaswillhereinafterapingitaxiallytotherightuk. ).toensasethe pear. upper horizontal portion of L-slots |2 with The expander 23 has a tapered seat 3l in its studs upper portion to receive the.conical lower end The apparatus is then lowered in the well b! 3| of the pump head 32 which supports the pump l5 lowering mechanism (not shown) attached to and coacts with the seat 34 in preventing gas the upper part of the apparatus. AOn reaching from escaping upward or the pumped oil from the desired depth the lowering mechanism is flowing downward between seat 3l and the coniturned axially to the right, Fig. 3, until stu cal end 3|, which latter preferably consists of register with the vertical portions of L sich I2. soft metal like the expansible packers. 2" whereupon all of the apparatus, excepting slips The packers 2l, 2| and 22 are slidably mounted 3 and sleeve Il, is lowered until tapered portion upon the tubular member Il and alternately ar- I forces the slips 8 into such firm engagement ranged with the respective expanders 23, 24 and with casing A, that said slips will support the ap- 25, all of which are likewise slidably mounted paratus During the last-mentioned turning and upon the tubular member, excepting the upper- 2a lowering operations sleeve il is held stationmost expander 23 which is threaded or otherwise ary by the springs Il frietionally engaging cab suitably secured upon the upper end of said tubuing A. lar member i2. After slips 3 have been forced into drm engage- In practice the load on the tubular member Il ment with casing, A by the tapered portion I of forces the same downward together with the exan barrel 2 they check further downward movement panders 23, 24 and 2l which are pushed down of the barrel, but the tubular member l. coninto the respective packers, thereby expanding tinues to descend until the expanders 23, 24 and the latter so firmly into frictional engagement are seated in the respective packers 23, 2| and 22. with the casing A that it would be exceedingly The lowering mechanism is then disengaged diilicult to simultaneously loosen them when lift- 35 from the apparatus and removed from the well after which pump I3 islowered until its tapered portion 3| is seated in the upper expander 2l, as shown by Fig. 1. 'I'he weight of pump Il forces the expanders 23, 24 and 2l down into the respective packers until the latterareexpandediirmlyintosealingengagement with the casing A so, they will cooperate with slips 3 in supporting the pump and a column of oil when pumped upward in the well.

Whenitisdesiredtoliftpump lltothesurface for'repairs, or cleaning, an upward pull on the pump rod 43 will carry coupling -43 against eollar I4. The upward pull is continued until the pump is lifted to the surface.

Whenpump Ilisbeingeither lowered orraised the soft conical end 3| of the pump head 32 is prevented from contacting casing A and thereby becoming damaged. by meansof laterally projecting guide lugs l2 on the pump head 32. '.lhe upper portion of the pump has one or more outlet ports I4 for the free passage of the oil but being narrow will prevent any debris which might fall from the surface from entering the pump. The guide lugsv I2 on the pump head and guide lugs 54 on a pump rod coupling coact with casing A in guiding the pump while being lowered into or raised from the well.

' Should the well quit producing, my apparatus may be lifted to the surface if desired for transfer to another well. The lifting operation vis accomplished with a suitable hoist, not shown. which is lowered into the well. after pump i3 has been removed, and engaged with the upper part oi.' the apparatus. As the apparatus is started upward the expanders 23,` 24 and 2l are successively lifted by the tubular member I! out of therespective packers 2l, 2| and 22. Thus the pressure of the packers against the weil casing is reduced to such extent that they are readily moved upward with the expanders by the tubular member, which latter also lifts the barrel 2. As the barrel moves upward it permits the slips 3 to spring inward out of engagementv with the well casing so that they may be lifted i have provided pump supporting and casing sealing apparatus that is well adapted for the purpose intended and while I have shown a preferred embodiment of said apparatus, I reserve all rights to such changes and modifications thereof as properly fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

l. An apparatus of the character described comprising a barrel adapted to be lowered into a well casing, a member vertically slidable in said barrel and projecting from the upper portion thereof, means for limiting said slidable movement, v'a plurality of expansible packers freely mounted upon the projecting portion of said member, expanders slidably mounted upon the rst-mentioned member and adapted to expand the respective packers into sealing engagement with the casing when the first-mentioned member is forced downward in the barrel, and means operably connecting said expanders to the first-mentioned member whereby when the latter is pulled upward the expanders will be successively disengaged from the packers.

2. An apparatus lof the character described comprising a barrel adapted to be lowered into a well casing and provided at its upper end with a tapered seat, a tubular member slidably mounted in said barrel and projecting from the upper end thereof adapted to support a pump when the same is lowered into the casing, means for limiting the sliding movement of said tubular member, an expansible packer mounted upon the projecting portion of the tubular member and provided with a tapered end adapted to enter the tapered seat in the barrel, an expander freely mounted upon the tubular member and adapted to expand said packer into sealing engagement with the casing when the tubular member is forced downward by the weight of the pump, means for limiting the movement of said expander upon the tubular member, and means for supporting the barrel while the packer is being expanded into frictional engagement with the casing.

3. An apparatus of the character described comprising a barrel adapted to be lowered into a well casing, a tubular member slidably mounted in said barrel and projecting from the upper end thereof, means for limiting the slidingmovement of said tubular member, a plurality of expansible packers freely mounted upon the projecting portion of the tubular member and the lowermost one of which is seated upon the upper end of the barrel, expanders mounted upon the tubular member and adapted to expand the respective packers into sealing engagement with the casing when the ltubular member is forced downward by the weight of the p/ump, and means operably connecting said expanders to the firstmentioned member whereby when the latter is pulled upward the expanders will be successively disengaged from the packers.

4. An apparatus of the character described comprising a barrel adapted to be lowered into a well casing, atubular member mounted in said barrel and projecting from the upper end thereof adapted to support a pump when the same is lowered intq the casing, stud and slot connections whereby said tubular member is connected to the barrel, an expansible packer freely mounted upon the projecting portion of the I tubular member and adapted to seat upon the upper end of the barrel. an expander freely mounted upon the tubular member and adapted to expand said packer into sealing engagement with the casing when the tubular member is forced downward by the weight of the pump,

stud and slot connections whereby said expander is slidably connected to the tubular member, and means for supportingthe barrel while the packer is being expanded into frictional engagement with the casing.

5. An apparatus of the characterdescribed comprising a barrel adapted to be loweredinto a well casing, a tubular member slidably mounted in the barrel and projecting from the upper portion thereof, said tubular member having a tapered seat at its upper end, a pump adapted -to b e lowered into the well and provided with a head having a tapered portion adapted to fit into and seal the seat in the upper end of the tubular member, means for limiting the sliding movement of said tubular member, an expansible packer freely mounted upon the projecting portion of the tubular member and adapted to seat upon the upper end of the barrel, an expander mounted upon the tubular member and adaptedI to expand said packer into sealing engagement with the casing when the tubular member is forced downward by the weight of the pump,

and means for supporting the barrel while the l packer is being expanded into frictional engagement with the casing.

6. An, apparatus of the character described comprising a barrel adapted to be lowered into a well casing, a tubular member slidably mounted in the barrel and projecting from the upper portion of the barrel, said tubular member having its upper end tapered downwardly, means for limiting the sliding movement of said tubular member, an expansible packer freely mounted upon the projecting portion of the tubular member and adapted to seat upon the upper'end of ythe barrel, an expander mounted upon the tubular member and adapted to expand said packer into sealing engagement with the casing when the tubular member is forced downward, means for supporting the barrel while the packer is being expanded into frictional engagement with the casing, a pump adapted to extend freely through the barrel and the tubular member, a head to said pump having a downward tapered portion to rest in the seat in the upper end of the tubular member and form therewith a gas-tight seal, and a rod extending upwardly through the pump and whereby the latter may be operated, or may be either lowered to Working position or be lifted to the surface.

7. In an apparatus of the character described, means adapted to be lowered into a well casing, a tubular member slidably connected to said means, a plurality of expansible packers freely mounted lupon the tubular member and the lowermost one of which is adapted to seat upon said means, expanders freely mounted upon the tubular member and alternately arranged with said packers and adapted to expand the same into sealing engagement with the casing, and means operably connecting said expanders to the tubular member whereby when the latter is pulled upternately arranged with said packers and adapted to expand the same into sealing engagement with the casing, and elements extending from said expanders into the respective slots whereby said expanders are successively disengaged from the packers when the tubular member is pulled upward. v

9. In an apparatus of the character described, a barrel adapted to be lowered into a well casing and provided at its .upper end with a tapered seat, an expanslble packer having a tapered portion resting in said seat, a tubular member freely mounted in the barrel and adapted to support a pump, means freely connecting said tubular member to the barrel, and an expander associated with the tubular member and adapted to force the expansible member into sealing engagement with the well casing.

10. In combination with a well casing and a pump, a barrel adapted to be lowered into the well casing and provided at its upper end with a seat, an expansible packer adapted to rest onsaid seat, an expander adapted to expand said packer into sealing engagement with the well casing, a tubular member adapted to support the pump and upon which said expand'er is mounted, and pin-and-slot connections freely connecting said tubular member to the barrel.

11.-In apparatus of the character described, a barrel adapted to be lowered into a well casing, a member associated with said barrel, studs and slots connecting the member to the barrel to permit independent longitudinal movement of said member, an expansible packer freely associated with said member and the barrel, and an expander controlled by the member and adapted freely mounted upon the tubular member and all by the member and adapted to expand the packer Vinto sealing engagement with the well casing and the tapered seat of the barrel.

13. In combination with a well casing, a barrel adapted to be lowered into said well casing, a member associated with said barrel, means loosely connecting the member to the barrel to permit limited independent longitudinal movement of said member, an expansible packer mounted upon said member and adapted to be seated upon the barrel, an expander freely mounted upon themember and adapted to expand the packer into sealing engagement with the well casing and the barrel, and studs and slots connecting the expander to the member to permit limited independent movement between said expander and the member.

14. In combination with a well casing, a barrel adapted'to be lowered into said casing, means adapted to be forced into engagement with the Acasing by said barrel to support the latter, a 

